After the class analysis of the different elements of the mise-en-scène that comprised the opening scene of directorJean-Pierre Jeunet’s film Amélie, I came to realize how truly important the opening scene of a film is. The opening scene sets the tone for the entire movie. It draws the audience in and makes them wonder what is yet to come. Also, what many don’t realize is that the opening scene provides the viewers with basic knowledge about the characters and the setting they are situated in.

For example, in Amélie, aside from the obvious accents of the characters, we know right away that the setting is in France due to the quick camera shots of the outside and even by the way the characters dress. We are also given insight to what the main characters personalities are by their actions. We know the parents are strict by the way they obsessively like to organize their toolboxes and purses and how they behave toward their daughter. We know the daughter is innocent and isolated from the outside world based on the props she plays with, being homeschooled, and having a fish as her only friend.

Above are only just a few examples of the elements of mise-en-scène that help to create the opening scene, but before being exposed to these ideas I had never given a second thought to all the opening scene had to offer.